Sherlock Persuasiveillance In Belgravia

The Sherlock episode “A Scandal in Belgravia” uses surveillance throughout the episode to show how Sherlock Holmes and the London police force interact with each other. They both have a common goal of protecting the British society from potential government and terrorist threats. Both Sherlock and the police have different methods of solving their issues, so each tends to take drastic measures that juxtapose each other. Sherlock remains very analytical and observes the whole situation before drawing a conclusion. By contrast, the police are very forceful and jump to conclusions to keep optimum safety. Although Sherlock and the police use different methods of surveillance, both groups work towards a common goal of protecting the British people.

Sherlock pretends that he’s been mugged so that he is allowed in the sitting room as a stranger. The CIA barge into Irene Adler’s sitting room shows the interaction between the police and Sherlock Holmes because it shows that the CIA had power over Sherlock in this scenario. The CIA demanded he open the safe and Sherlock had to follow their orders because they have more “official” power than a detective. In this scene, Sherlock must open the safe because he is under the surveillance of the CIA operatives. Sherlock does not have any power concerned with the government so the CIA is watching his moves to guarantee that Sherlock will not prevent the CIA’s mission concerning Irene Adler. Another way Sherlock used surveillance to succeed in his mission was his use surveillance of Irene to crack the code on her phone. He analyzed her presence and observed that she liked him a romantic way. He then was able to unlock the code with the the word SHER so the phone screen read I AM SHER-LOCKED. His surveillance of her elevated pulse and her pupil dilation allowed Sherlock to access the important files so they wouldn’t get in the wrong

At first, they were expected to neutralize dangers, … now they were being asked to play a positive role, for they were becoming able to do so, to increase the possible utility of individuals” (Foucault). Foucault’s argument can be applied to the goals of the CIA post 7/7 and their goals in Sherlock. Post 7/7, people felt uneasy about the thought of unexpected terrorists and their safety. The police force now have to protect their country but also prevent any potential dangers so that society can feel safe. The CIA in “A Scandal in Belgravia” have heavy surveillance on Irene Adler because her cell phone contains photos and information that could disrupt the British government. The CIA’s surveillance was necessary to keep the people of London safe from any disruption in